The Alternative Factor (episode)
Investigating the cause of a massive, galaxy-wide disruption in space, the Enterprise finds a mad scientist who claims that he is being pursued by a hideous being. Summary In standard orbit around an iron-silica-type uncharted planet, the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) prepares to complete its survey, when ... everything within sensor range suddenly "blinks", almost as if the universe is on the verge of ceasing to exist. And, in the wake of this, a man appears on the surface of the planet, where moments earlier there was no life. Beaming down, Captain Kirk, Spock, and the landing party encounter a man. Dirty, and disheveled, he falls from a rock. The landing party returnes to the Enterprise with him, where Kirk learns more news – the strange phenomena drained the dilithium crystals almost completely. Still worse, Starfleet issues a Code Factor 1 message – invasion status. The effect experienced by the Enterprise was also experienced everywhere in the galaxy, and far beyond. Starfleet withdraws all nearby ships – Kirk and Enterprise are the bait. Kirk talks to his "guest" – a man named Lazarus, who is pursuing a "thing", a monster who destroyed his entire civilization. Beaming down, Kirk learns from Spock that there is no other creature here. Accusing Lazarus of lying, Kirk demands the truth – and the universe turns inside out. The same "winking" phenomenon occurs again. And Lazarus ... first he has a bandaged forehead, and then he doesn't, and then he does again... on the viewscreen.]] Meanwhile, Spock has discovered a source of radiation that is not there – a "rip" in the universe, where regular physical laws do not apply. The key to locating this source seems to be the dilithium crystals – a revelation which excites Lazarus, who demands the impossible: that Kirk give him the crystals. Lazarus overpowers two engineering officers and steals two crystals – and when confronted, denies it, blaming his monster. And the evidence suggests he isn't the thief, for the crystals are not aboard his ship. Back aboard the Enterprise, Kirk confronts Lazarus with his lies, and learns that Lazarus distorted a fact: he is a time traveller. The dead world Enterprise orbits is the distant future of his destroyed homeworld; the place and time he has travelled to in pursuit of the monster. Speculating, Kirk and Spock conclude that the strange energy must come from a source outside the universe. A source in another universe. There are two copies of Lazarus, and they are periodically exchanging places through a kind of door – and if they ever exist in the same universe at the same time, everything, everywhere, will be annihilated in a cataclysmic matter/anti-matter explosion. Meanwhile, Lazarus starts a fire, and under cover of it, steals two crystals, then beams down. Kirk pursues. As he attempts to enter Lazarus' ship, he vanishes, hurled through the corridor into the other universe. There he meets the other Lazarus, the sane Lazarus, and learns the truth. Anti-Lazarus' people discovered how to pass through the negative magnetic corridor that both connects and protects the two universes. When this happened, Lazarus couldn't bear the knowledge that he had a duplicate, and resolved to destroy his other. He is mad and doesn't care if this causes the death of two universes. Anti-Lazarus and Kirk realize he must be stopped: if Kirk can force Lazarus into the corridor, Anti-Lazarus can hold him there, and Kirk can destroy his ship – which will also destroy Anti-Lazarus' ship. Access to the corridor will be sealed forever, and both universes will be safe. And two men named Lazarus will be at each others' throats for the remainder of eternity. Log Entries *''Captain’s log, stardate 3087.6. While investigating an uncharted planet, the Enterprise, and at least this entire quadrant of space, has been subjected to violent, unexplained stress and force. Sensors have reported the presence of a human being on the planet below who might be connected with the phenomenon. With my first officer and a security team, I have set out in search of him. '' *''Captain’s log, stardate 3088.3. We continue to orbit the dead planet, which seems to be the source of the phenomenon which has struck the Enterprise, and all sections of the galaxy, once again. As for Lazarus, the story he tells me about the humanoid continues to trouble me. '' *''Captain’s log, stardate 3088.7. We are no closer to finding an answer to the strange phenomenon than we were at the beginning. Not only have two of my crewmen been attacked, two of our dilithium crystals are missing, and without them, the Enterprise cannot operate at full power. They must be found. '' Memorable Quotes "He must be stopped, Jim, contained, destroyed if necessary." : - Spock, on Lazarus "So you're the terrible thing? The hideous, murdering monster?" "Yes, Captain. Or he is. It depends on your point of view." : - Kirk and Lazarus/Anti-Lazarus "Surely Lazarus must know what will happen if you and he were to meet face to face." "Of course he knows – but he's mad. You've heard him; he's lost his mind. When our people found a way to break through the barrier, and prove that a parallel universe did exist, it was too much for him. He couldn't live knowing that I lived. And so he made it his mission to destroy me – and the fact that it meant his own destruction and the destruction of everything ''else that exists meant nothing to him." : - '''Kirk' and Anti-Lazarus "You'll be trapped forever with a raging madman at your throat." "Is it such a large price to pay for the safety of two universes?" : - Kirk and Anti-Lazarus "Welcome, captain!" "To a parallel universe... anti-matter?" "Here, yes." "And if identical particles meet?" "The end of everything." :- Kirk and Anti-Lazarus, summing up the situation. Background Information * Part of the dilithium energizer panel uses the same controls as the neural neutralizer from Dagger of the Mind. * The dome of Lazarus' time ship will later be re-used to encase the Providers in The Gamesters of Triskelion. * This is the second time that we see Lieutenant Leslie in the command chair in TOS Season 1 -- odd this time since he was outranked by the lieutenant commander serving as navigator. It is also the first episode in which Eddie Paskey is featured (as "Lesley") in the ending credits. * Usage of the terms "matter" and "anti-matter" in this episode is inconsistent with its usage elsewhere in the series. For example, Kirk travels to an anti-matter universe, where he should explode, yet he does not. Yet if Lazarus and Anti-Lazarus meet, both universes will be entirely destroyed, which is also inconsistent. Anti-matter, as used in other episodes, is more or less consistent with what physics predicts its properties to be; in this episode, the term is used strangely, and probably incorrectly. * The visual of The iron-silica planet from orbit is reused footage previously representing Alfa 177 in "The Enemy Within" and M-113 in "The Man Trap". This planet effect would be reused again as Argus X in "Obsession" and Ardana in "The Cloud Minders". * John Drew Barrymore was originally contracted to play Lazarus, but didn't show up to work. The grievence filed against him on this account by the "Star Trek" production team led to him being unable to find acting work for a number of years after. Robert Brown was a last-minute replacement. * These last-minute changes account for many of the problems with this episode. Studio bigwigs also axed an interracial entanglement between Charlene Masters and Lazarus that had to be filled with other footage, which might be the reason for all of the repetitive running around and falling off cliffs that occurs on the planet's surface. * Lazarus' beard goes from very full to almost non-existant depending on the scene. Probably due to insuficient time to touch up his make-up. * Lieutenant Masters wears no braid on the sleeves of her uniform, and since she works in engineering, her uniform should be red not blue. * The shot of the Enterprise destroying Lazarus's ship is unique on three counts. First, it is the only time we see the Enterprise from behind as it fires iphasers. Second, it is the only time that the ship fires a single beam (as opposed to the usual two). Finally, it is the only time that the phasers make no noise--at least when the beam is seen in space. * There is no officer played by Larry Riddle as noted in the Concordance. According to the script, Officer Larry Riddle is a character in an earlier draft that was later dropped. * The footage of the two Lazaruses fighting was created by filming two stuntmen fighting in a smoke covered room with orange and purple walls, then double-exposing its color negative footage over an astronomical photograph of the Trifid Nebula. *James Doohan (Scotty) and George Takei (Sulu) do not appear in this episode. Production Timeline *First draft script: 7 November 1966 *Final draft script: 11 November 1966 *Filmed late November 1966 Links and References VHS edition available through Amazon under ISBN 6300213242. Main Cast (Robert Brown).]] * William Shatner as Kirk * Leonard Nimoy as Spock * DeForest Kelley as McCoy * Nichelle Nichols as Uhura Guest Stars * Robert Brown as Lazarus * Janet MacLachlan as Charlene Masters * Richard Derr as Barstow * Arch Whiting as assistant engineer * Christian Patrick as transporter technician * Eddie Paskey as Leslie (credited as Lesley) Co-Stars * Ron Veto as Harrison (security guard # 1) * Tom Lupo as security guard # 2 * Vince Calenti as security guard # 3 * William Blackburn as Hadley (security guard # 4) * Al Wyatt as Lazarus' stunt double # 1 * Bill Catching as Lazarus' stunt double # 2 * Gary Coombs as Kirk's stunt double References antimatter; Code Factor 1; dilithium; hydrogen; iron; Komack; negative magnetic corridor; silicon; Starbase 200; uncharted planet Alternative Factor, The de:Auf Messers Schneide fr:The Alternative Factor nl:The Alternative Factor